Electrified monorail system



April 5, 1927.

F. c; HARRIS ELECIfRI FI ED MONORAIL SYSTEM Filed Bed. 16, 1925 Imkemn 7 Frank C.1[arri.s,-

MM, flay.

Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. HARRIS, OF BRIGHTON; MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN MONOBAIL COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION.

v ELECTRHIED MONOBAIL SYSTEM.

Application filed Decemberv 16, I925. Serial-No. ,888.

This invention relates to monorails and particularly to devices of this character which support one or more conductors of electricity, the object of the invention being the rovision of means for. supporting the con uctor beneath the monorail with its upper end between a plurality of insulating members and its lower end projecting below said insulating members.

This object is attained by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

For the purpose ofillustrating the invention, one pre erred form thereof is illustrated in the drawings, this form having been found to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities 'of' which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalit-ies as herein shown and described except as restri of'in quired by the scope of the appended claims.

Of the drawings: Figure 1 represents a transverse sect] on of a monorail embodying the principles of the 1 present invention, said section being on line 1, 1, on Fig. 3.

Figure 2 represents a similarsection of same on line 2, 2 on Fig. 3.

Figure 3 represents a plan. of same. Figure 4 represents a side elevation of same. n I Figure 5 represents a section of the conductor.

Figure 6 re resents a section of one of the ps at (g material for supporting the conductor, an

Figure 7 represents a section of the other Similar characters indicate like. parts throughoutthe severalfigures of the drawin the drawings, 10 is a monorail or support having flanges 11 at its lower end which provide tread surfaces for the wheels of a trolley movable'lengthwiseithereof;

The upper end of the monorail 10 may be of any desired 7 a superstructure in any well known manner.

Secured by rivets 12 to the under face of. the support or monorail 10 are. aplurality' shape and supported from of U-shaped members 13 which are spaced apart at convenient distances.

'surfaceqof the flanges 11 on 'tor bar 21, ther laminated form and each individual element The rivets'12 extend through the flanges I5 11 at points adjacent the web 14 of the monorail 10 so as not to interfere with the tread which move the trolley wheels 15 (shown ply in dotted lines). 00

The lower ends of each member 13 have I oppositely disposed projections 16 which extend toward each other as. shown.

Supported by these U-shaped members 13 are the insulating strips 17 arranged in 65 pairs, each pair having formed in their outer side walls grooves 18 into which the projections 16 are disposed.

The outer side walls of the .members 13 and stri s 17'are well inside of the outer edges 0 the flanges 11 so that the device supported by the trolley wheels 15 cannot engage with these members, and strips in its movement along the rail or support '10.

The ad'acent faces of each pair of strips 17 have ormed therein continuous grooves '19 which are oppositely disposed and into which extend the flanges 20.0f the conductor bar 21, the lower end of which extends below the surface 22 of the strips 17. This conductor bar 21 provides a means "for electrifyin switches, cranes, turntables and other trac age devices.

Each pairof strips 17 has extending downwardly therefrom on oppositesides of the conductor bar 21,- the guard flanges or walls 22", these flanges extending downwardly below the under face of the conduceby preventing accidental contact therewith.

The upper ends of the strips 17 are spaced from'the under face of the support 10.

At a joint between the supports or rails 10', there is a hole 23 through which extends a cable 24, one-wire 25 of which extends to one conductor bar 21 while the other wire 26 extends to the other conductor bar 21.

These wires 25, 26 are in electrical con- .tact with said bars 21 and feed electricity thereto. The wires 25. and 26 are enclosed iii-insulating material 27 By making the conductor bar 21in manner and supporting it between twoinsulating strips 17 the ,whole' structure is in may be easlly curved tosuit VfillOllS'COlldlti'ons.

In structures now in general use there 1smuch difiicu'lty experienced. in thus curving the devices coacting with the monorail and this objection is wholly overcome by the structure herein shown and described.

In the structures of this character the conductor bars 21 are usually located above the monorail and as a consequence a more mplicated system of connection is required and it is not easy to electrify the switches,'etc.

By placing the conductor bars beneath the monorail the means for making the electrical connections is greatly simplified, less headroom is required, and the conductor bars 21 are less exposed.

Moreover, by locating the conductor .baI between the guard flanges 22 of the strips 17 there is very little opportunity for a wire or other member to accidentally come into contact with a conductor bar 21 and cause a short circuit or other accident.

This provides a very simple means of supporting a conductor bar from a monorail, which may be readily installed, and in -which the various elements may be easily bent to conform to the curvatures in the monorail.

It is believed that from the foregoing description the operation and many advanta es of the invention will be understood.

- aving thus described my invention, I claim 1. A monorail; a plurality of U-shaped members secured thereto and depending therefrom provided with inwardly extending projections; two strips of insulating material extending" the entire length of said monorail and having depressions to receivesaid projections; and a conductor bar interposed between and supported by said insulating strips.

2. A load-supporting monorail; a plu' rality of U-shaped members secured thereto and depending therefrom provided with inwardly extending projections; two strips of insulating material extending the entire. length of said monorail and having in their toform a guard flange; and a conductor bar interposed between and supported by said insulating strips, said conductor bar having its lower end higher than the lower ends of said guard flanges.

4. Aload-supporting monorall'havin'g outwardly extending wheel-supporting flanges; a plurality of U-shaped members secured'to and depending from said flanges with the lower ends ofeach extending toward each other; insulating strips supported by said lowerends and extending the entire length' of said monorail; and a conductor bar interposed between and supported b said strips.

5. A monorail having outWar ly extending wheel-supporting flanges; a plurality of U-shaped members secured to and depending from said flanges with the lower ends of each extending toward each other, the outer ends of said U-shaped members being well within the edges of said flanges; insulating strips supported by said lower ends; and a conductor barinterposed between an supported by said strips.

6. A load-supporting monorail; a plurality of insulating strips supported by and extending the entire length of said monorail but separated therefrom said strips having grooves formed in the contacting walls of each pair; and a T-shaped conductor bar. interposed between each pair of strips with its flanges disposed in said grooves.

7. A monorail; a plurality of insulating strips supported thereby and separated therefrom and having grooves formed in the contacting walls of each pair; and a T-shaped conductor bar interposed between each pair of strips with its flanges disposed in said grooves, the lower ends of said conductor bar being above the lower ends of guard flanges forming a part of said insulating strips.

8. A monorail; a plurality of insulating strips supported thereby and separated therefrom, said strips being arranged in pairs with a T-shaped channel in each pair and extending the entire length-of said rail; and a' T-shaped conductor bar disposed in each channel.

9. A load-supporting monorail; two rows of U-shaped members secured thereto and depending therefrom; two strips of insulating material supported by each row of U-shaped members and extending the entire len th of said' rail; and a conductor bar with its upper end interposed between and sup orted by each pair of strips.

15. A load-supporting monorail; two rows of U-shaped members secured thereto and dependin therefrom and having inwardly exten ing projections; two strips of insulating material supportedby the inwardly extending projections of each row of U-shaped members-and extending theentire length'of said rail; and a conductor bar with its upper end inte osed between and supported by each pair 0 strips.

.11. A load-supporting monorail; a plurality of insulating strips suspended therefrom in pairs and extending the entire length of said rail; and a conductor bar 'inll.

' conductor bar interposed betweenieach pair of strips with its flanges extending into said grooves.

13. A monorail; an insulating member suspended therefrom and extending the entire lengtli thereof, and a conductor bar having its u per-end embedded in said insulating mem r and its'lower end'projecting below said insulating member.

14. A load-supporting rail; a plurality of stri s of insulating material in two rows dep'en ing from said rail and supported thereb said strips in each, row abutting at then ends; and a conductor bar inferposed between and supported by said rows of'insulating strips.

15. A load-supporting rail; two continu-. ous strips of insulating material dependin from the bottom of said rail and supported thereby, said strips having downwardly extending edges; and a conductor bar interposed etween, supported by and protected y the downwardly extended edges of, said insulating strips.

16. A load-supporting rail; two continuous strips of insulating material beneath-- said rail and secured thereto; and a conductor bar provided with laterally extended horizontal edges, interposed between and supported'within grooves in said insulating stri s.

Signed by me at 746 Old South Bldg,

Boston, Mass, this 12th day of December, 40

1925. A a FRANK C. HARRIS. 

